Well it looks like 888 will be getting more money off of me as that is where I will be getting my snake from. After all the research I have done over the last few months, I thought I was about ready for my Corn. Went to get it from the local store and they refused to sell me one on the grounds that I wasn't keeping it in a wooden vivarium. I looked astonished. Apparently they have had a few customers come back with their Corns because they weren't feeding, and the store said it was due to the fact they were keeping them in either glass or plastic tanks. I said no offense but I have been researching this for the past few months to make sure I have the right setup, I also told them my setup has been on test for the past month. And, out of the forums that I have visited NOT ONE person has said that they have had issues with Corns in glass/plastic enclosures. One of the store assistants then proceded to tell me how snakes need a basking light to thermoregulate properly as the heat mat wouldn't provide sufficient heat above the substrate. And also that glass/plastic don't hold the heat very well. Geez, the way they were going on, you would have thought I had just walked in off the street with no knowledge what so ever. I mean I know I'm new to the herp world but bloomin' eck, give me some credit. The owner also proceded to tell me about the importance of heat, and stated that the store can reach temperatures of 85f at night, so this tells me that their herps are too hot, unless they have some sort of air con or ventilation to give a cool side. And it suggest to me that their method of keeping herps may be the actual cause of their customers problems. They also asked where I was getting my information from, I told them, books and forums, herp keepers with experience ranging from new comers to 20+ years. But the main thing that has really annoyed me is, I rang them last Saturday to tell them that I would be in Wednesday (today) to watch the snakes feed, and that I would be planning on either buying one or putting a deposit on one. When I rang today to confirm teh feeding time they said they were out of pinkies and that they wouldn't be feeding. [}]. They had only got 25 pinkies left to feed the problematic feeders. So basically I wasted a half day holiday and drew out £120 for nothing. Now I have to go to the trouble of puting that money back in my account. MY ROUND THE FAUN TEMPS - As you may knnow I have testing my temps over the last month and I have the following Warm End Substrate Level - 27 - 31c (78 - 88f) Warm End Above Substrate - 24.8c - 27.6c (74 - 80f) Cool Side - 22 - 25c (70 - 76f) 25c is rare, just particularly hot days A FINAL QUESTION BEFORE ORDERING MY CORN Well I know that alot of you use various means for enclosures including RUBS, Fauns, aquariums and wooden vivs, but if there is absolutely anyone out there that can agree with what they have said I would like to hear it please. In short, that's twice now they have given me information regarding herps that contradict everything I have researched, both from books and forums. And I won't be going there again, I thnk I will even start getting my live foods online. As a new comer, I can't help but 2nd guess all I have learned so far. Anyway, sorry about the rant, I just can't stop thinking about it. Mick
Don't worry about it man. You're fine, and they're idiots. What kind of corn were you going to fork out 120 pounds for?
so its either their way or the highway one thing, i like to keep my temps at 90 in my corn enclosure, its what the breeder told me and its what ive ben doing, but im not nearly as confident in my corn keeping as i am in my leo keeping abilities and my vet gets super ticked off when he hears that most of my information comes from online forums, especially the guy i take my rats to and the only thing wrong with a glass tank is that an animal may get stressed from being seen from all angles, an problem that is easily fixed with hides which should be in there anyways. its nice that they refused to sell an animal into a home where they thought it wouldnt get proper care, but being that nitpicky and being wrong like that..... well i dont have to say it
The prices and hatchlings I was interested in were A Common at either £42 or £65, They just seemed to have a nice fire effect (red to orange) with black around the saddles. An Anery at £75 to £95 And a Fire Amel £120, but when I actually got there it didn't look like a Fire Amel, it looked like a Hyper Amel. I can't see why he would get ticked off, I go on forums for EVERYONE of my animal companions and I have found fourms to be the best source for information. The people on them have no profit to gain from their advice. Way better than any store that are motivated by profit. Well, cept maybe my local tropical store, they are brill, 20 out of 10 in my books. I must admit, I have encountered a few people on forums that could be considered over zealous. But nothing untoward. And I agree that it would be good if they refused to sell because they suspect the creature may not be treated well, but they had no facts to back up their policy. I mean, they didn't even ask what my temps were, or what I had in the way of cover. This was another thing I looked into, I think the subject about hatchlings in larger enclosures, or see through enclosures is still debatable. Personally I don't think it has a beaing on the snakes stress levels, BUT, just in case it does when I set up the faun I also put an Exo Terra Boston Fern in the middle with the branches bent all over th eplace for cover, then also at the one and the back walls are against a room wall, and the front has a silk hanging plant the full length of the faun so snakey has a sneaky route from hide to hide. The 3 returns they had, I winder if they asked what theirs temps were how much cover di their snakes have? That sort of thing. So I suspect it was how their setups were that caused them to not feed. Personally I think you could keep a snake in freezer if you wanted........... well as long as you have a warm and a cool end, lol. Oh and a place to hide. I went in there after work to buy another bigger hidefor my Elle, to give the shop a chance to redeem themselves but the boss and the other chap weren't there. So they lucked out I think, not only have they missed the opportunity of my cash for the snake, next year once I have a little experience behind I was planning to get a few more herps, a skink, a Beardie and I was even looking into scorpions, so that's alot of money they have lost out on now. I was talking to a lass at work today about what happened as she asked if I got it. And she asked me where this place was so I told her, she oh my god that's the same place I took my Milo (her dog) for a grooming session. The have 3 sections, Reptiles, dog grooming and parrots. Anyway, she hadn't groomed and cut Milo's hair the way Lisa told them to, and also Milo seemed traumatised from the experiece. Before his visit he used to love his baths, but when they went to give him his bath he started shaking and refused to get in it. And when they finally got him in and washed him they discovered loads of cuts on his body, one teh full height of his head, under his front legs, and down his sides, so it looks like he wasn't treated very well at all. Well, thats enough shop bashing, I am forced to order online now, reluctantly, but I am ordering my hatchling from the same place I got the equipment as I have already had a good experience with them. I am looking to get one of the following in order of fave A Carolina A Ghost And an Anery Mick
For as long as I've had my corns the warm side has been at 90 exactly. Every tub in my rack is kept at 90 by my Helix thermostat, so temps are exact, and my corns are healthy and vigorous. I would say the only difference at keeping them warmer is that they will be able to digest their meals faster, not to mention that they could fight off any possible infections better, otherwise it will be to no detriment either way.
